Do I need SSL with my hosting plan to use osC?

[faeries_requiem]

Hi there,

 

I'm new to using osCommerce. I have basic HTML/CSS/PHP experience (I've got my website up and running (HTML and CSS), and have configured PHP-based forums before). I'm not too worried about setting it up at the moment, but need some advice regarding SSL.

 

At the moment my website is being hosted on a free trial, and I'm currently looking for a decent (cheap) hosting service to change to.

 

When up and running, I intend to use osCommerce as the shopping cart base for my site, but will use PayPal as a payment gateway, integrating it with osC.

 

I know virtually nothing about SSL (the very basics), but presumably items are added to the cart on my site, then the actual checkout process is done through PayPal.

 

Does this mean that I don't need SSL on my site? As far as I can work out, the actual transaction will be referred to my account checkout page on PayPal's site and will then redirect the customer to my homepage when the transaction is complete.

 

I'd appreciate any help with this, because the particular hosting package that I was hoping to buy doesn't offer/support SSL.

 

Thanks,

 

Req

[tsherer]

Hi

You don't have to have SSL but it certainly helps. osC won't stop running without it but your customers might. :) For what it's worth, you might want to check into a shared SSL or something like that, although I'm not too up on it. Some hosting companies, like mine, offer it although I'm not exactly sure if it's actually "shared" or what. But it is a bit cheaper.

 

In any event, you're ok using osC without SSL.

 

travis

 

 

 

Hi there,

 

I'm new to using osCommerce. I have basic HTML/CSS/PHP experience (I've got my website up and running (HTML and CSS), and have configured PHP-based forums before). I'm not too worried about setting it up at the moment, but need some advice regarding SSL.

 

At the moment my website is being hosted on a free trial, and I'm currently looking for a decent (cheap) hosting service to change to.

 

When up and running, I intend to use osCommerce as the shopping cart base for my site, but will use PayPal as a payment gateway, integrating it with osC.

 

I know virtually nothing about SSL (the very basics), but presumably items are added to the cart on my site, then the actual checkout process is done through PayPal.

 

Does this mean that I don't need SSL on my site? As far as I can work out, the actual transaction will be referred to my account checkout page on PayPal's site and will then redirect the customer to my homepage when the transaction is complete.

 

I'd appreciate any help with this, because the particular hosting package that I was hoping to buy doesn't offer/support SSL.

 

Thanks,

 

Req

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[faeries_requiem]

Hi

You don't have to have SSL but it certainly helps.  osC won't stop running without it but your customers might.  :)  For what it's worth, you might want to check into a shared SSL or something like that, although I'm not too up on it.  Some hosting companies, like mine, offer it although I'm not exactly sure if it's actually "shared" or what. But it is a bit cheaper.

 

In any event, you're ok using osC without SSL.

 

travis

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hi Travis,

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

If I chose not to use SSL on my site, would it affect the transaction at all? You mentioned that customers may not like it, but if I use PayPal as the gateway they will be aware that it's secure, surely?

 

Could you recommend any hosting packages/companies that include SSL/Shared SSL? Also, if I chose a hosting package that included SSL, what difference would it make when setting up osC? Would I also need to sign up for something like VeriSign, or will there be some other way to show my customers that my site is secure?

 

It may be worth mentioning here that I'm actually a young art student and am running a very small business - so pricing will have a big effect on my final choices. If I could afford to go ahead and sign up with VeriSign (or similar), I would.

 

Thanks again for your help,

 

Req

[stevel]

The policy of the forum moderators is to disallow recommendations of hosting services. There certainly are many likely to be within your budget that provide shared SSL. You can do searches of sites that list and compare hosting services, though be aware that many of these are thinly disguised attempts to solicit referral fees.

 

SSL protects more than the credit card info - all of the customer's personal information should be protected. You are correct that using a payment gateway will protect the credit card details themselves.

 

Not using SSL on your store would not affect the transaction other than to scare away many potential customers who have been told to insist on the lock icon in their browser.

 

You do NOT need to sign up with VeriSign (personally, I stay as far away from them as I can.) If a host offers shared SSL and the other prerequisites for osC, you're fine. You don't need any fancy seal or logo to show that a site is secure.

[faeries_requiem]

The policy of the forum moderators is to disallow recommendations of hosting services.  There certainly are many likely to be within your budget that provide shared SSL.  You can do searches of sites that list and compare hosting services, though be aware that many of these are thinly disguised attempts to solicit referral fees. 

 

SSL protects more than the credit card info - all of the customer's personal information should be protected.  You are correct that using a payment gateway will protect the credit card details themselves.

 

Not using SSL on your store would not affect the transaction other than to scare away many potential customers who have been told to insist on the lock icon in their browser.

 

You do NOT need to sign up with VeriSign (personally, I stay as far away from them as I can.)  If a host offers shared SSL and the other prerequisites for osC, you're fine.  You don't need any fancy seal or logo to show that a site is secure.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hi there,

 

Thank you for the advice :) I appreciate it. I'll have a look around for shared SSL options, I think.

 

Req

[AlanR]

You don't need any fancy seal or logo to show that a site is secure.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The companies that sell those fancy seals and logos have tracked your IP and they've sent a goon squad to deal with you. You better lock your doors and bunker down.

[faeries_requiem]

The companies that sell those fancy seals and logos have tracked your IP and they've sent a goon squad to deal with you. You better lock your doors and bunker down.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Lol, luckily I can't afford fancy seals and logos anyway ^_^

 

Thanks for your help, everyone. :*

 

I'm sure I'll be back with more silly newbie questions when it comes to actually setting the whole thing up :thumbsup:

 

Req